


Stealing Kisses in a Festival Crowd

by Crack_Pair_King



Series: Stealing Kisses [4]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Polythieves (Persona 5), Post-Canon, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 04:11:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19221325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crack_Pair_King/pseuds/Crack_Pair_King
Summary: With summer came festivals. As far as Ryuji was concerned, with festivals should come treats. He figured kisses were a pretty good treat. So when the Phantoms decided to gather at a fireworks festival once again, Ryuji figured he'd help himself to some kisses in the crowd.He'd never been good at the subtle thing anyways.





	Stealing Kisses in a Festival Crowd

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry for those who were waiting on this earlier. My computer lost this file, as well as the other three I was working on for this series, my in-progress novella, and notes for the other two novella series I've got cooking.
> 
> Twice.
> 
> Needless to say it took a bit of time to pull my motivation up again.

With summer came festivals. As far as Ryuji was concerned, with festivals should come treats. He figured kisses were a pretty good treat. So when the Phantoms decided to gather at a fireworks festival once again, Ryuji figured he'd help himself to some kisses in the crowd.

He'd never been good at the subtle thing anyways.

__________

The group would be wearing yukata again. Haru had offered one to Ryuji, but he'd felt too awkward to accept. Ren hadn't though. Ryuji expected to see him in one later.

Was it wrong that he thought the idea of his boyfriends, and girlfriends if he was honest, in yukata was hot as hell?

Ryuji knew he'd be the odd man out tonight, but that was fine. Yukata were awkward to move in anyways. Too tight to Ryuji. Give him breezy tanks and shorts any day. Although Ann had bullied him into a button up and slacks for the fireworks.

Which still made it easier to move. He'd need to move fast to make this work.

But stealing kisses was a hell of a lot easier than stealing treasures. No shadows to dodge for one thing.

In fact, Ryuji realized with a grin, he didn't even have to worry about the crowds. It was a fireworks festival. They'd be moving, So would the crowds. Any judgy shits would get lost in the swells long before they'd catch two phantom thieves.

Ryuji let the shark's grin out.

__________

Complex plans weren't for Ryuji. He figured that moments moved, and he should do the same.

But he and Morgana had taken a long time to come to peace with each other. Even now it wasn't perfect, but they were better. Maybe it'd get even better, maybe not. But their little polycule, and man that word took forever to figure out, had a rule. Check Morgana first. No reason to make the little guy feel even worse about his situation.

So Ryuji made a plan, and dropped by LeBlanc for an early lunch. And to see if Futaba had read today's manga yet so they could geek out over it a bit. They'd save the serious geeking out for when Makoto was there. But hey if he could get curry, geek out over manga, and ask Morgana if he'd be okay tonight? Fine by Ryuji.

Ren was already gone by the time Ryuji arrived, but that was nothing new. Their leader behaved as much like a cat as Morgana looked. That meant sometimes not knowing where the hell Ren had gotten off to this time.

Ryuji put yen on the counter for his food. Boss wouldn't really accept it, but it was the principle. Living in today versus a year ago.

A year ago Ryuji had barely started as a Phantom Thief. A year ago Ryuji had been an unwanted outcast. A year ago Ryuji's leg had days where it could barely hold his weight.

A lot could change in a year.

But not Boss.

He looked at the 850 yen on his counter as if Ryuji had just dropped a freshly made load of shit on that same counter.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"Money?" Ryuji tried to keep the attitude from his tone. He really did. Boss had proved to Ryuji that not all adults were shitty by nature. That sometimes life just kicked them down again and again. Like Ryuji had been.

He'd stayed down for his mom. Boss had for Futaba.

Sojiro snorted at that. Then left the curry, Ryuji's preferred soda, and his money on the counter.

"He's not gonna take it you know. Boss has a gentleman's pride."

"Hey Mo'ga'a." Ryuji said as he shovelled food into his mouth. Specks of rice jumped onto the counter as he spoke.

"Swallow first! How the rest put up with your manners I'll never know." Ryuji gulped down a bite, then shot back.

"Least I don't take a bath by spittin' in my hand first."

Morgana gasped in surprise. "You bathe? Update the Phan-Site! Exclusive report: Skull actually does bathe!"

Ryuji couldn't help it. He snorted, then chuckled. Morgana's satisfied expression said he knew this round was his.

Damn it!

"I'm not going to the festival tonight."

Morgana's words surprised Ryuji. He'd expected a bit of gloating. Ryuji looked down at the Velvet Attendant. Morgana's blue eyes said he knew what Ryuji had planned tonight.

Ryuji felt bad. Morgana was part of their little family, too. Ryuji remembered too well what it felt like to be tossed out of a group where he'd once belonged.

"You sure?"

Morgana licked his paw and began to meticulously groom behind his ears.

"You've got something in mind. Plus last time I got soaked. It took all night for my fur to dry!"

"Hey, a shower could do you some good."

"You really wanna go again?" Morgana asked, tilting his head to the side.

Ryuji shrugged, then lightly scratched Morgana between the ears. He'd gotten his answer, and knew Morgana wasn't bullshitting him. The two had gotten past that. The way their friendship began meant that Morgana was straight with Ryuji. More than he was with most of the others. Especially the girls. Haru or Futaba he may have dressed it up for. Ann he certainly would have. Not with Ryuji though. There'd been too many words said that neither really meant to risk it.

"Not like you've got the bite to match your bark."

"I don't bark!"

And they were off!

__________

It was hours later that Ryuji finally got to work. Of course it was also hours later that the festival started. Like last time, the group made plans to link up at the festival. Like last time, they planned to link up in the station.

Unlike last time, Ryuji didn't show up right on time. Also unlike last time he had a drawstring bag over one shoulder. One of those nylon gym bags that everyone seemed to give out these days, he'd tossed a few single-person umbrellas inside. Just in case.

Reaching the spot, Ryuji found that Yusuke alone was waiting. The artist was also nose-down in a drawing pad. His yukata was the same, or at least Ryuji thought it was. He was never good at that kind of fashion shit.

Ryuji stopped and watched Yusuke move for a moment. Saw how fast, how spastic, his hand movements were. Saw the intense concentration on his face. He was still on one of his wound up periods.

Ryuji could get that and he could work with that. Shifting the bag on his back, he felt the soft crinkle in the bottom and smirked. When the artist closed his notebook Ryuji stepped back to be hidden behind the pillar before calling out.

"Yo!"

A moment's pause, then "Ryuji, what are you-"

That was as far as Yusuke got before he came around the pillar. And Ryuji fell on his lips like gentle rain.

__________

"I see we've resumed."

Yusuke's comment was light, and made no sense to Ryuji.

"When'd we stop?"

Yusuke shook his head. "Not our affection, per se. But this... public pilfering."

Ohhh.

"You mean the kissing thing Ren started? Figured I'd wait for my moment, ya know? I mean going all out's great, but ya gotta time it right."

"Oh?" Yusuke seemed to consider that for a moment, before nodding almost to himself. "I'm surprised to hear you say that."

Ryuji ignored that comment. "So where's everyone else? Seriously, the festival's gonna get started before they get here."

Yusuke was giving him that look. The one that said he found Ryuji's impatience funny. Ryuji might've lost his shit once. But he knew Yusuke didn't mean anything by it.

"Careful you don't let Queen or Noir hear your impatience. They devise, creative, punishments."

Ryuji felt his grin become filthy as his cheeks burned. "Sooooo... what's the problem?"

Yusuke's eyes lit with wonder. Moments later, pen and ink and paper were all the other guy could see. Ryuji figured best to leave him be.

__________

Ren was next to join their little troupe. His yukata had a black base with lines of red and gray that crisscrossed and broke off. The pattern instantly captivated Yusuke.

It made Ryuji think of broken chains.  Made him uncomfortable.  Ryuji would have made his move but, not ten seconds later, the girls arrived as a mass.

Each looked spectacular, and Ryuji still couldn't tell if their yukata were the same as last year or not. It was too far back to remember as far as he was concerned.

"Come ooooooon, let's go!" Ryuji bounced his leg, stretching the muscles and preventing scar tissue from building.

It had nothing to do with him being impatient. No sirree, not at all. Not one bit of bouncy impatience for this Skull.

"Ryuji, what's with the bag?" Futaba asked as she looked up at the blond athlete. He grinned, then showed her the contents.

"Umbrellas! Wow, someone was thinking ahead for once."

"Hehe, yeah. I tr- Whaddya mean for once!"

Futaba cackled as she scampered away from Ryuji's poke to her abdomen. She followed the others, who were already moving for the stairs. Futaba stood at the back of the group, Makoto not too far ahead. Both shot him looks that screamed for his company.

Oh yeah, they'd read today's manga.

He jogged over to join his friends, and inserted himself in between Futaba and Makoto.

"So, bout that fight scene in-."

Makoto squealed in glee. From the sound of it, she'd been holding it in for a while.

__________

The conversation went as smoothly as climbing crowded stairs did not. Futaba snarked about relative power levels while crowds roiled up each step. Makoto turned into a lovable dork as she stopped walking to better rehash the banter about honor, even as the crowds surged into their little knot of bodies. Ryuji let the hype of the fight carry him up the steps as much as the current of the crowds.

Ryuji slipped himself between Futaba's petite frame and the roiling press of bodies. Stood fast against the surging broadsides when Makoto's dorkiness stalled her momentum in heavy traffic. Felt Futaba's fingers in his belt loops and Makoto's hand on his shoulder, keeping him tight to their little knot despite the currents of the crowd.

He knew he wasn't the smartest member of the team. Hell, half the time he wasn't sure how the rest put up with his dumb shit. Especially these two near geniuses. Ryuji had a suspicion Futaba might be a real genius. Like, textbook type, not the type where people just throw out the word.

He wasn't ever too sure how he matched up to that. How he could, even now, be with either of them with a gap like that.

Then Futaba squeaked and Ryuji was _there_.

The guy stumbled back, fingers wrenched and nose bloodied. Ryuji had remembered Makoto's advice and twisted towards the asshole's thumb. Got him to let go of Futaba's ass good and quick. The extra twist to the shitty asshole's index and middle fingers was _his_ penalty.

The bloody nose was all Makoto.

The two exchanged a look even as the rest of the group looked back, processed, then glared at the asshole. Faced with more than half a dozen furious individuals, the groper shoved his way through the crowd as he ran.

Futaba's expression was more neutral than Ryuji liked.

"Taba?"

She glanced down at her phone for a second.

Then the grin split her lips. It wasn't her normal real-world smile. This was Oracle's grin. The grin that screamed about doxxing and data theft and causing a ruckus to get some payback.

"Got his picture," was all the answer Futaba gave. Then she pushed ahead to be in the middle of the group and next to Ann. Who immediately cuddled Futaba in under her arm. Then Ann's eyes shot hellfire at anyone who dared look at them funny.

The group finally reached the top of the stairs by that point and began to turn towards the festival. Ryuji and Makoto were the last and took the corner together.

"What do you suppose she'll do wi-"

Makoto's question was cut off as Ryuji fell on her lips like a raging thunderstorm

__________

The sting to his lip was what got Ryuji's attention. He pulled back from the kiss to look at Makoto. Who'd blooded that shitty adult's nose as surely as she'd just bit his lip. Hard.

"Much as I love that, I'm really getting sick of being interrupted for it."

Ryuji smiled, then shrugged. "It works."

The arched eyebrow he received was imperious, and hot as hell.

"Does it now?" He was surprised to hear the curiousity in her voice.

"Yeah. I mean, we ain't talkin bout what Futaba's gonna do to that effin asshole."

Ryuji realized his mistake as soon as the words left his mouth.

Makoto closed her eyes in that way Ryuji recognized as her thinking face. Putting his hand on her upper back, he pushed her towards the rest of the group, then followed when her feet moved to keep up. Her eyes reopened and his hand fell away.

"It feels like I should tell her to leave him alone. But I think she should get her chance too."

Ryuji nodded sagely. "Why should we get all the fun?"

"Exactly." A pause, then a flat look. "You're still in trouble for interrupting me though."

Ryuji felt his shark's grin come out.  One with smut in its teeth. "Yes and please."

He burst out laughing at the brilliant red flush that ran from Makoto's hairline down into the collar of her yukata.  
__________

The others were standing by Buchiko when Ryuji and Makoto caught up. Makoto's face was still cherry red. Curiousity, confusion, and a pair of shit-eating grins from Ren and Futaba.

"You get 'em?" was Ren's question.

"No, he apparently got on a train." was Makoto's reply.

Ryuji realized they were talking about the groper who'd gone after Futaba. Or at least Makoto was.

Ren, meanwhile, shot Ryuji a look. Tilting his head, Ryuji screwed up his face in confusion.

Ren laughed softly, shaking his head, before whispering something to Futaba and pointing at the booth area. The prodigy hacker nodded, a gigawatt grin splitting her face. She scampered off, Makoto dragged along by the hand and the rest following.

Glancing around, Ryuji was surprised. They were in relatively quiet space. A rare time when a pause in the train schedule matched up with no one being interested in the ever-loyal Buchiko.

"So, did you get Makoto?"

Oh yeah, Ren knew what was going on. Ryuji snorted at the question, but didn't answer with words.

Tugging Ren around the statue's podium base, he pushed the taller boy against the concrete. Then, in the dark and with crowds interested in a thousand other things, Ryuji fell on Ren's lips like a midnight downpour.  
__________

Ren licked his lips experimentally. "Blood and chapstick. Yep, you got Makoto."

"Blood? Fo'real!"

Ren caught Ryuji's wrist, before pulling out something and pushing it into his hand. Looking down, he saw it was a napkin. He looked up at Ren and got a shrug. "Festival food."

Ryuji nodded, getting it. Tasty, but messy. Kinda like kissing Makoto.

He grinned at Ren. "Lovin' this game, man. Where'd you come up with it?"

Ren shook his head and bumped shoulders with Ryuji while he walked past. Curious, but not surprised, Ryuji followed.

And spotted the pair of suits. One behind the lotto stand. The other leaning where that old politician guy Ren knew used to give talks.

"Effin shit. They still on us?"

Ren snorted. "Not likely to stop for a while."

"Yeah I guess. Still, how the hell you put up with this shit?" Ryuji asked, kicking the ground as they walked

Ren bumped Ryuji's shoulder, and then answered his questioning look with a grin. Then he threw a jaunty wave to the suit behind the lotto booth. Ryuji realized their path led straight to the one against the station wall.

"RenRen?" Ryuji asked.

He wasn't ashamed to admit to the fear in his voice. None of them liked the idea of Ren within arm's reach of unknown cops.

Ren shot him a smile. But, as though aware of his friends' fears, he stopped just far enough that the cop would need to take a half-step to reach Ren.

"Hope you get to enjoy watching the actual show tonight. We're just out on a date."

The cop cocked an eyebrow. He didn't, however, bother to lie about being there to keep tabs on their group. Ryuji bet that someone, somewhere, was taking notes. Or would be.

"You two?"

The question had enough judgmental prick in it to make Ryuji's knuckles itch. Ren snorted instead.

"Did only two of us come tonight?"

Ryuji burst out laughing at the cop's shocked expression. Damn did he love his snarky asshole best friend.

Enough to drag him away before Ren could actually provoke the cops. And enough not to rat him out to Makoto.  
__________

As soon as they reached the group, Ren proved he had more balls than brains. Which was saying something in Ryuji's opinion, cause dude was balls-to-the-wall smart.

Wait, was that a thing?

Ryuji wasn't sure it was. But if anyone could do it, RenRen could. So he decided to make it a thing: Joker was balls-to-the-wall smart. And even ballsier than that.

Ryuji figured that was the only way he could work up the guts to do what he was doing right now. Because after provoking their police tail, he had sidled up next to Makoto and casually looped his arm around her shoulder.  Seriously, it wasn't like the cops didn't know Makoto, even more than the rest of them.

Futaba'd done some digging a few months back. Her dad had apparently been a big effin deal when he'd been on the force. He remembered helping with the sorry-he's-dead cards for her dad. She'd said it was less this year.

They'd still stuffed a file box.

And now here was Ren hanging on her neat as you please. Ryuji had to admire the balls, but moved on to his next target. Only three to go.

That was when Ryuji realized someone was lagging behind.  He looked back and found Haru.

Ryuji walked over to stand next to his former senpai. "You okay?"

Haru bit back a yawn. "Damn it."

Ryuji blinked, startled. "Need some coffee?"

Spotting Yusuke's blue hair, Ren's fluffy curls, and Ann's twintails in the crowd, he pulled Haru along.

"Had some coffee. I need to stop being so damned tired."

Ryuji considered for a moment and then said, "I know I used to get tired if I didn't eat after a meet."

The answer should have been easy. Instead it was a flush across the cheeks.

"It's been hectic recently."

"Soooo... did ya eat?"

She sighed. "I missed lunch again."

"Again?" Glancing to the side, he saw a line of food stalls down a side street. He tugged Haru along.

"I get you're busy but ya still gotta eat." Ryuji rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, don't you have people who can bring you shit to eat?"

"I'm sorry Ryu-kun, but I truly would prefer something other than shit if it's on the menu."

Ryuji snorted. "So order up a burger. I mean you guys make em and all."

"I don't wish to put someone out by asking for-"

"Put em out worse if you collapse from not eatin'." Ryuji said. Then a shark's grin split his lips. "Ya think the press'd run with that? Lady Okumura passes out cause she wasn' eating?"

The look Haru shot him would have been much more intimidating if she weren't so exhausted. Still, they both knew he had her there.

"There will be repercussions, Ryuji."

"Hope so!"

Taking the corner to the food stalls, Ryuji turned, cupped Haru's face in his palms, and fell on her lips like a setting sunshower  
__________

"Who bloodied you?" were the first words Haru asked when their lips parted.

Ryuji looked at her.  Then realized his mistake.

Haru hadn't asked that question.  Noir had.  And Noir was a much, much more dangerous creature than her day-to-day self.  Hot as fuck, but not safe for civilians.

"Queen."

A moment while the fluffy berserker in front of him considered the answer.  Then she smiled and Haru was back. "You're being bad, aren't you?"

Ryuji grinned, then tugged Haru up to a takoyaki stand. "Gonna punish me?"

"Not punishment if you enjoy it." Haru muttered darkly, before turning her attention to the stall owner. Ryuji, meanwhile, had sent the others a short text explaining the situation.

Looking up from his phone, Ryuji saw Haru drop the remains of her snack in the trash. "Well, that was-"

"A warm-up." Ryuji grinned as he spoke and held up his phone. Haru looked at it. Resigned, she dug hers out of her bag. Then stared when she saw the chain of texts he'd prompted.

"You messaged the group chat?"

He just smirked and tugged her along to the next stall.

Someone better at this shit than him would figure out how to make sure Haru ate at work. He'd get her fueled up here and now.  
__________

"Really, Haru!" Were the first words out of Makoto's mouth when the others caught up. "Yusuke I expect this with, but I thought you had better sense."

Oh crap. Ryuji hadn't meant to set off _Mama Makoto_.

"Indeed. It is not as though Okumura foods must choose between office supplies and food supplies."

A pregnant pause as the group realized that, yes, Yusuke was telling someone else off for bad eating habits.  Finally Haru bit back a sigh and spoke.

"I truly don't-"

"Want to argue with us on this. Very wise of you, really." Ren's cut-in was smooth and had Ryuji wincing at the dark tone. Ryuji decided to stick it out with Haru.

He'd started this after all.

Ryuji stood next to Haru as Makoto and Ren worked her over, stepping away only to grab her something else to eat now and then. Finally Ren shook his head and walked away, phone already in hand. If Ryuji had to bet, he was making a phone call to Haru's top aide, Mina. Far as Ryuji knew, no one else working for Haru knew about their relationship. Mina's lack of shitty attitude helped net her the top aide job from what Ryuji knew.

Haru shot Ryuji a look. Thanks and love mixed with frustration. He knew what that felt like.

He hugged her quick, then slipped over to his last two targets. Ann and Futaba stood by another stall, munching on mochi and watching the chaos unfold with their metamours. Yusuke, Ryuji saw, was sketching... A tree?

Ryuji wasn't gonna ask.

Ann snorted as Ren nodded and ended his call. Then in a sing-song voice she teased, "Ryuji's gonna be in trou-ble."

"Worth it." He replied absently while snagging a mochi from Futaba.  He knew better than to go after Ann's.

"Definitely." A sharp nod from the other blonde. "Still gonna be fun to watch."

Futaba snorted. "Impact play's, like, your only topping activity. You just watching'll last 5 minutes."

It took a second for Ann and Ryuji to process what they'd just heard. Futaba had NOT just said that in the middle of an effin _fireworks festival_. A second later it occurred them that, yes, she had done exactly that. 

That was when Ann's face turned as red as Panther's catsuit.

Futaba slipped through Ann's clutching fingers and Ryuji's desperately swinging arm, cackling all the while. Ryuji could catch her. And would. Later.

Feeling his neck burn, Ryuji met Ann's eyes. Somehow, the bright red flush of embarrasment, combined with her gawking 'I can't believe Futaba really said that!' expression, made Ryuji snicker.  Ann followed a second later.

Snickers became chuckles. Chuckles became giggles. Giggles became flat-on-your-ass-laughs that left Ryuji and Ann leaning on each other to stay standing.

As the laughter finally faded, Ryuji looked at the woman still giggling beside him.

He breathed in Ann's giggle as his lips fell on hers like a summer rain.  
__________

"We should find an optimal perspective. The show will begin soon." Yusuke spoke in the cool, collected tone they all knew so well. Ren glanced at his phone, and winced.

"He's right. Gonna be time soon."

The group pulled itself together and, after a quick meeting, began making it's way. Haru had, apparently, pulled some strings to get them a nice spot for the fireworks. While walking, Ryuji found himself beside Futaba.

"You know that fight next week's gonna be a curbstomp." she said by way of greeting.  Ryuji nodded sagely.

"Oh yeah. But it's been a long time comin' ya know?"

Futaba cackled and they bounced to a different topic. Makoto joined the conversation moments later. Drawn in by the magic of manga. Ryuji still had the pic Futaba got of Sae's expression when she first saw Makoto bent over a manga.

Shit was priceless.

"Thanks for earlier, by the way." Futaba said softly. She'd shifted, pressing against Ryuji as they walked. It was a sneaky sort of cuddling.  Ryuji had been pissed as hell when he realized how much touch meant to Futaba. How much cutting herself off from it must have hurt.

"S'all right. Asshole got away, anyways."

"So, what, Makoto bit your lip as punishment?"

"Is everyone going to point that out tonight?" Makoto asked, whining even as she blushed.

Futaba cackled and continued to rib Makoto as crowds shifted. Their little group stood pressed in and waiting for movement to resume. When they did, the group turned at the next corner under Haru's direction.

Several police cars blocked off this section of streets, although not enough to totally prevent access.

"Wow, VIP area." Futaba said. Ryuji grunted in agreement, but something else had his attention. That area would be asking for trouble, so time to finish this now.

Grabbing Futaba round the waist, Ryuji gently lifted her as he spun. The pint-sized hacker squeaked, then gasped as Ryuji pressed her back against the hood of a police car.

Then Ryuji fell on Futaba's lips like a drought-ending deluge.  
__________

"Hey, Ryuji! Quit makin out and get over here with those umbrellas, quick!"


End file.
